Draft-equalizer.



D. M. MURKEN.

DRAFT EQUALIZER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1912.

1,043,860, Patented Nov. 12,1912.

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DIETRJ IGH 1V1. MURKEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y;

DRAFT-E QUALIZER,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12?, 1212.

Application filed January 3, 1912. Serial No. 669,172.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DIETRICH M. MURKEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Man hattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Draft-Equalizer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved draft equalizer for use on vehicles drawn by animals, embodying new and useful features of construction, whereby a more eiiicient device of this class is produced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft equalizer adapted for use on trucks or other vehicles, drawn by either one, two or three animals pulling abreast so that the leverage will be equalized, the invention involving a plurality of levers in pivotal relation with each other and also articulated through the medium of springs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description there of proceeds, all of which is particularly pointed out and included in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the device per se; Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof showing it secured to a shaft and adapted for use with two animals; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the pivotal connection; Fig.

4 is a plan view of the device adapted for one swingle-tree; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device provided with two swingletrees, while Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof provided with three swingle-trees The equalizer comprises two levers 1, 2, pivoted together at an intermediate point of each whereby short arms 3, 1, are provided. The lever 2 adjacent the point of pivotal support is preferably split longitudinally whereby an upper portion 2 and a lower portion 2 are provided, the lever 1 being positioned intermediate of the upper and lower portions and of the lever 2, the levers being held in engagement by means of the sleeve 5 having overturned ends 6, the sleeve passing through the openings in each of the levers and the overturned ends engaging the outside of the upper and lower parts 2 and 2 whereby the levers are held movably secured in position.

The outer ends of the long arms of the levers 1, 2, are preferably provided with a number of openings 7 in which suitable de' vices, such as clevises 8, are adapted to be positioned for attachment to swingletrees. The ends of the short arms 3, 4:, are preferably provided with openings 9 into which one end of the helical springs 10 are entered, the other ends of the springs engaging in some of the beforementioned openings 7 at the outer ends of the long arms.

The device is adapted to be positioned on a shaft 11 of any vehicle by means of a pin 12 which extends through the intermediate opening 13 in the sleeve 5, the swingletrees 29 in such instance being in engagement at the outer ends of the long arms of the levers, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the event that the device is desired to be used with one swingle-tree or three swingle-trees I provide links 20, 21, one end of each of which being in pivotal engagement with each other through the medium of a pin 23, a suitable clevis 24 being also secured to this pin; the other ends of the links are pivotally secured, at 22, to the long arms 1, 2, of the device, preferably in some of the openings 7 adjacent the outer ends thereof. The equalizer is now adapted to be provided with one swingle-tree 30, as shown in Fig. 4 or with three swingle-trees 31, 32, 33, as shown in Fig. 6.

The particular form of the swingle-trees adapted to be used with the equalizer is not of importance when the structure of the equalizer is considered, the inventive idea being to provide an equalizer adapted for use with one, two or three swingle-trees, it being desirable in some instances that the draft animals used with vehicles be changed at short notice, the structure of the device herein shown being particularly adapted for such change, the construction being nevertheless simple and eflicient.

The material of which the difli'erent parts of the device is made will depend upon the vehicle to which the equalizer is attached, it being obvious that the load to be carried is a factor to be considered inasmuch as the tractive effort of the animals is transmitted through the device. Some of the openings 7 adjacent the outer ends of the levers 1, 2, form a convenient means for receiving one end of a resilient device for connecting these levers with the truck or axle of the vehicle whereby the relation of the equalizer with respect to the vehicle during movement thereof is insured.

Having thus described my invention, 1

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of levers in pivotal engagement at an intermediate point, together with springs engaging one end of each lever and an intermediate point of the other lever.

2. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of pivoted levers, the point of pivotal support being such that each lever consists of a short arm and a long arm, together with springs engaging the long arms and the outer ends of the short arms.

3. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of levers in pivotal engagement with each other, the point of pivotalsupport being so positioned that each lever is divided into a long arm and a short arm, together with springs engaging the long arms and also the outer ends of the short arms, the ends of the long arms being provided with means whereby swingle-trees may be attached thereto.

4:. A device of the class described comprising the combination of a plurality of levers in pivotal engagement with each other, the engagement being such that each lever is divided into a long arm and a short arm, a spring engaging the outer end of each short arm, these springs engaging the long arms, means carried by each long arm whereby a suitable swingle-tree may be attached thereto, together with links in pivotal engagementvwith each other, the links being also secured to the said long arms.

5. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of levers pivoted. together at an intermediate point of each, the point of pivotal support being nearer one end. of each lever than the other whereby each lever is divided into a long arm and a short arm, independent resilient means engaging the long arms of the levers and the short arms of the levers, together with links in pivotal engagement with each other, one endof the links being in pivotal engagement with the said long arms.

6. A device of the class described comprising two levers in pivotal engagement with each other, the said engagement being nearer one end of each lever than the other whereby each lever is divided into a long arm and a short arm, independent resilient means between the short arms and the long arms, means at the end of each long arm for attachment to a suitable swingle-tree, a link in pivotal engagement with each long arm, each of the links being in pivotal engagement with each other, the said point of pivotal engagement being provided with means whereby a swingle-tree may be attached thereto.

7. A device of the class described comprising two levers in pivotal engagement.

provided with a clevis whereby a suitable swingle-tree may be attached thereto.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DIETRICH M. MURKEN.

lVitnesses LAURENCE J. GALLAGHER, PHILIP D. RoLLI-IAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents. each, by addressing the f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

